Endoscopy is a technology that allows minimally-invasive viewing of internal features of a body. In medicine, endoscopy allows acquisition of high-quality images of internal features of a human body without the need for invasive surgery. The basic tool of endoscopy is the endoscope (“scope”), which is inserted into the body to be viewed. Some endoscopic procedures involve the use of a flexible scope, as in the medical field of gastroenterology, for example. Other medical procedures, such as arthroscopy or laparoscopy, use a rigid scope. The scope is normally coupled to a high-intensity light source that transmits light into the body through the scope, and to a camera head that includes electronics for acquiring video image data. The camera head is typically coupled to a video monitor, which displays video images acquired by the camera.
In endoscopic surgery, various other medical devices may be used, such as an insufflator to pump pressurized gas into body cavities to create more space for viewing and working, an electrocautery tool to stop bleeding, and/or various tools to cut or shape body tissues. These devices are typically controlled by foot pedals and/or switches placed on the floor of the operating room, which are operated by the surgeon. The foot controls may control functions such as on/off, speed or intensity, direction of movement of the tool, mode of operation, etc. The use of foot controls, rather than hand-operated controls, allows the surgeon to adjust various modes and settings of the tools (e.g., speed, intensity) himself, without having to put a tool down, change hands, touch potentially contaminated surfaces with his hands, or take his eyes off the patient.
In the known prior art, foot-operated medical devices such as those mentioned above each have their own separate, dedicated foot controls, resulting in the presence of multiple foot controls in the operating room. The presence of multiple foot controls in the operating room can result in confusion about which foot control operates a particular device. Furthermore, the cables that connect the foot controls to their respective devices can create a safety hazard and a nuisance, since operating room personnel may trip over them and the cables may become tangled.